ABOUT OSAP
OSAP Definitions
Academic year
| Academic year: | For programs that start any time between: |
|---|---|
| 2009-2010 | August 1, 2009 and July 31, 2010 |
| 2008-2009 | August 1, 2008 and July 31, 2009 |
American Sign Language
If your program of study is not delivered in American Sign Language, you are eligible for the Canada portion of the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student loan.
Common-law Relationship
For OSAP purposes, you are living in a common-law relationship if:
- you and your spouse have been living together in a conjugal relationship for not less than three years, or
- you and your spouse are living together in a conjugal relationship and are raising any children of whom you both are the natural or adoptive parents.
Crown Ward
A Crown ward is a child who has been made a ward of the Crown pursuant to a court order made under the Child and Family Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.11. Such an order gives the Crown the rights and responsibilities of a parent for the purpose of the child’s care, custody, and control. Most of the Crown’s duties and obligations in respect to a Crown ward are exercised and performed by a Children’s Aid Society.
Dependent Children
For OSAP purposes, a dependent child is a child who meets one of the following criteria:
- is under 16 years of age and will be living with the parent and his or her spouse, if applicable, for 50% or more of the applicant's 2009-2010 period of study;
- is 16 years of age or over and
- is enrolled in high school and taking at least 60% of a full course load and will be living with the parent and his or her spouse, if applicable, for 50% or more of the applicant's 2009-2010 period of study;
- is a full-time postsecondary student and has been out of high school less than four years; or
- has a permanent disability and is wholly dependent on the parent (and his or her spouse, if applicable).
Dependent Student
For OSAP purposes, you are considered a dependent student if none of the following applies to you:
- You are married.
- You are in a common-law relationship.
- You are a sole-support parent.
- You are separated, divorced, or widowed, AND have NO dependent children living with you.
- You have not been a full-time student at a high school or postsecondary institution for at least 12 consecutive months on 2 or more occasions.
- You have been out of high school for at least 4 years before the start of your study period.
Discharged bankrupt
You are a discharged bankrupt if you filed for bankruptcy and have obtained an absolute order of discharge from the court.
Father
For purposes of OSAP, "father" refers to your father, stepfather, legal guardian or official sponsor.
Financial Aid Office
Financial aid office refers to the office at the postsecondary institution that assists students who are applying for student financial assistance. If you are planning to attend a postsecondary institution outside Ontario, the Student Support Branch, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities acts as your financial aid office.
Full-time Postsecondary Studies
Full time postsecondary studies means 60 per cent or more of a full course load or at least 40 per cent if you have a permanent disability.
Full-time High School
"Full-time" means 60 per cent or more of a regular high school program. If you left high school at any time and were out of high school for at least one full year, enter the date on which you first left high school.
Income - Total Gross
You must provide all taxable and non-taxable income from all sources, world-wide (except if it is an income item from the list of Income - Not to be Reported in your OSAP Application provided below). For example, you must include employment, child-support and alimony payments, monetary gifts, lottery winnings, and government benefits, Extended Care and Maintenance Payments, cashed-in RRSPs, cashed-in RESPs, withdrawals from retirement accounts, withdrawals from trust accounts, income received as a result of a joint election to split pension income, the amount of non-economic loss and/or pain and suffering awards in excess of $100,000, and any other income (e.g., awards, scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, grants, interest, investments, and/or trust fund income). All income is verified with Canada Revenue Agency. The ministry may also contact any of the government bodies that administer income support in order to verify income.
Income - Not to be Reported in your OSAP Application
There are certain income sources that you should not report in your OSAP application:
- DO NOT include GST Rebates, Child Tax Benefit, Universal Child Care Benefit, Ontario Child Benefit, Ontario Child Benefit Equivalent Savings Program, Rental Opportunity for Ontario Families (ROOF), OSAP funding, including student loans, Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarships, Canada Student Grants, Ontario Access Grants, Ontario Access Grant for Crown Wards, Ontario Student Opportunity Grants, Distance Grants, Textbook and Technology Grants, and Transition Grants.
- DO NOT include an award, bursary, and/or a needs-based scholarship from a publicly-funded Ontario college of applied arts and technology or university IF that postsecondary institution informs you in writing that they will report it to OSAP directly. If you have not received notification in writing from your postsecondary institution, then you must report this income.
Independent student
For OSAP purposes, you are considered an Independent student if the following applies to you:
- You are separated, divorced, or widowed, AND have NO dependent children living with you.
- You have not been a full-time student at a high school or postsecondary institution for at least 12 consecutive months on 2 or more occasions.
- You have been out of high school for at least 4 years before the start of your study period.
Joint election to split pension income - Father
If father (parent 1) entered data on line 210 of his 2008 income tax return, subtract the amount entered in line 210 from the amount in line 150. Enter the revised amount.
Joint election to split pension income - Mother
If mother (parent 2) entered data on line 210 of her 2008 income tax return, subtract the amount entered in line 210 from the amount in line 150. Enter the revised amount.
Joint election to split pension income - Spouse
If spouse entered data on line 210 of his/her 2008 income tax return, subtract the amount entered in line 210 from the amount in line 150. Enter the revised amount.
Loan
Loan refers to the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan.
Loan certificate
Loan certificate refers to the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan Certificate of Loan/Grant Approval and Eligibility.
Ministry
Ministry refers to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
Mother
For purposes of OSAP, "mother" refers to your mother, stepmother, legal guardian or official sponsor.
NSLSC
NSLSC refers to the National Student Loans Service Centre.
Official Sponsor
The person in Canada who officially assumes responsibility for your maintenance by either "nominating" or "sponsoring" you into Canada and has signed an Undertaking with the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
Online Application
Online application refers to the application for full-time students that you complete electronically on the OSAP website.
Ontario Residents
To be considered an Ontario resident on the first day of your period of study, either
- Ontario is the last province you resided in for 12 consecutive months without being a full-time postsecondary student;
- If you have a spouse, Ontario is the last province your spouse resided in for 12 consecutive months without being a full-time postsecondary student; or
- If you are a single dependent student, Ontario is the last province your parent(s), step-parent(s), legal guardian(s) or official sponsor(s) resided in for at least 12 consecutive months. If your parents/step-parents are separated or divorced, this requirement refers to the residency of the parent with whom you normally reside, or who financially supports you.
Ontario Student Opportunity Grant (OSOG) Terms
| Number of Weeks of Enrolment: | Number of Academic Terms for OSOG: |
|---|---|
| Less than 12 weeks | |
| 12 weeks or more, up to 20 weeks | |
| 21 weeks or more, up to 40 weeks | |
| 41 weeks or more, up to and including 52 weeks |
Other Assets
Other assets include the total gross value of all account balances at financial institutions, bonds, term deposits, GICs, all other investments, and any other assets (e.g., any real estate other than your principle residence, boats, aircraft, motors, etc.) not indicated in the items on your application dealing with vehicles and/or RRSPs. Do not include the value of your principal residence, clothing, furniture, personal belongings, non-economic loss and/or pain and suffering awards of less than $100,000, RESP's that have not been cashed in, savings through the Ontario Child Benefit Equivalent program or, OSAP funding.
Parent(s)
For OSAP purposes, "parent" refers to parent(s), step-parent, legal guardian(s), or official sponsor(s).
Part-time Student
A "part-time student" is defined as a student taking between 20 and 59 per cent of a full course load. A student with a permanent disability is considered to be a "part-time" student if he or she is taking between 20 and 39 per cent of a full course load.
Usually, you can find out the number of courses or credits that make up a full course load by checking your school calendar. Once you know how many courses or credits make up a full course load, you can figure out how many are 60 per cent.
For example:
- If 5 courses are considered a full course load, then 3 courses are 60 per cent(3/5 x 100 = 60).
- If 30 credits are considered a full course load, then 18 credits are 60 per cent (18/30 x100 = 60).
For OSAP purposes, course load is determined by institution policy. In some cases, factors other than courses or credits are used to determine your course load. Contact the financial aid office of the school that you are planning to attend for information if you are unable to figure out your course load.
Permanent Disability
For the purposes of OSAP, "permanent disability" is defined as a functional limitation that is caused by a physical or mental impairment that restricts your ability to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a postsecondary level or in the labour force, and that is expected to remain with you for your expected natural life.
If you indicate that you have a permanent disability, you must provide documentation to demonstrate that you are disabled. Acceptable documentation includes a medical certificate, a learning-disability assessment, or a document proving that you are in receipt of federal and/or provincial disability assistance.
If you are a student with a permanent disability and you require additional assistance, you may wish to apply for a Bursary for Students with Disabilities. Information on this bursary is available on the OSAP Web site or from your financial aid office.
Pre-study Period
- If you were a full-time high school or postsecondary student last year, your pre-study period is the time between the start of your new study period and the end of your last study period. If there are more than 16 weeks between these 2 periods, enter the income received in the 16 weeks immediately before the start of your new study period. If there are fewer than 16 weeks between these 2 periods, enter the income received during the actual number of weeks between these 2 periods.
- If you were not a full-time high school or postsecondary student last year, your pre-study period is the 16 weeks before the start of your new study period.
Proof of a Child's Date of Birth
For children under the age of 12, proof of each child’s date of birth may include:
- A copy of the child’s birth certificate;
- A Statement of Live Birth;
- A copy of the Government of Canada’s Child Care Benefit cheque stub or statement;
- A copy of a baptismal certificate;
- A copy of a hospital record of the birth that includes the date and place of the birth, and the name of the mother and certified by an authorized official of the hospital;
- A copy of a record of the legally qualified medical practitioner, midwife or nurse or other person in attendance at the birth, setting out the date and place of the birth and the name of the mother and certified by the practitioner, midwife, nurse, or other person.
If you are unable to provide one of the pieces of supporting documentation listed above, then you must provide any two of the following:
- A certified copy of the paylist issued by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (Canada) setting out the name of the child and the child’s age or date of birth;
- A copy of a record of a public school, separate school, private school or day nursery setting out the name of the child and the child’s date of birth and that is certified by the principal of the school, operator of the day nursery or another official or employee of the school or day nursery who has custody of the record;
- A certified copy of a census, immigration or consular record that sets out the name of the child and the child’s date of birth;
- A certified copy of an official health record that sets out the name of the child and the child’s date of birth;
- Affidavits of two persons who are not the parents of the child and who can reliably attest to the date of the child’s birth. Each affidavit must set out the child’s name, the affiant’s relationship to the child, the date of the child’s birth, a description of how and why the affiant has actual knowledge or reasonable grounds to believe the date of the child’s birth, and statement by the affiant that he or she saw the child no later than three months after the child’s date of birth;
- Any other documentary evidence of the date of birth.
Protected Persons
A Protected Person is defined in subsection 95 (2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada). Protected Persons are individuals who have been issued a Protected Persons Status Document (PPSD). Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) can designate a person as being a "Protected Person". Protected persons can include the following people:
- Convention refugees and humanitarian-protected persons abroad classes; and
- Persons in need of protection. A person in need of protection is a person in Canada whose removal to their country of nationality or former habitual residence who is subject to the possibility of torture, risk of life, or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.
Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
The total net value of RRSPs is the current market value (principal and interest) of all RRSP accounts less:
- funds (principal and interest) inaccessible under the Canada Pension Act and/or balance owing (at asset valuation date) of any loans taken out specifically to purchase an RRSP, and/or
- any financial penalties assigned by the financial institution and/or income tax withheld by financial institution.
Study Period
"Study period" is the time period in which you are considered by your institution and OSAP to be in school. This time period is used to determine the amount of your funding. In addition, several deadline dates are dependent upon this date. The starting and ending dates for your study period are displayed when you check the status of your application on the OSAP website and are printed on the documentation sent to you by the ministry, including your Confirmation of Enrolment form.
Sole support parent
For OSAP purposes, you are a sole-support parent if you have dependent children living with you on a full-time basis during your study period, AND you are single, separated, divorced, or widowed.
Spouse
For OSAP purposes, your spouse is the person to whom you are married or the person you are living with in a common-law relationship.
Undischarged Bankrupt
You are an undischarged bankrupt if you filed for bankruptcy and that process has not been completed, withdrawn, annulled or you did not obtain an absolute order of discharge from the court.
Vehicle
Vehicles include both primary and secondary modes of transportation such as automobiles and recreational equipment (e.g., boats, planes, motorcycles, etc.). This includes any vehicles leased by the student (and his or her spouse, if applicable). If a student owns a vehicle that has been modified to accommodate a disability (e.g., electronic ramp), the market value of the vehicle may not be considered. In this case, the student must contact the financial aid office to discuss his or her situation and the supporting documentation that is required.
